Activists: Syrian warplanes bomb Aleppo, killing 5

A Free Syrian Army soldier stands on a damaged Syrian military tank in front of a damaged mosque, which were both destroyed during fighting with government forces, in the Syrian town of Azaz, on the outskirts of Aleppo, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Syria's bloody 18-month conflict, which activists say has killed nearly 30,000 people, has so far eluded all attempts at international mediation. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

BEIRUT (AP) — Activists say Syrian warplanes have bombed two buildings in the northern city of Aleppo, killing at least five people.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees say Monday's raids in a southern neighborhood badly destroyed the buildings.

An amateur video showed people digging through a pile of rubble in search for survivors.

The Observatory says five people were killed while the LCC says eight lost their lives in the bombing. The LCC says the dead included three children of the same family.

The months-long battle for Aleppo — a city of 3 million that was once a bastion of support for President Bashar Assad — is critical for both the regime and the opposition.

Syria's 18-month crisis has left nearly 30,000 dead, according to activists.